The present invention relates to an image scanning apparatus, method, and system, a control method thereof, a storage medium, and an external apparatus.
Conventionally, when image data drawn on an original (to be referred to as an “original image” hereinafter) is scanned by an image scanning apparatus with an original feed function, the image scanning apparatus is connected to an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer or the like. Then, the user operates the information processing apparatus to select a scanning mode, i.e., whether the original image is scanned in a preview mode or in a so-called main scanning mode. The image scanning apparatus scans the original image in the selected scanning mode.
More specifically, in a conventional image scanning system of this type, as shown in the flow chart in FIG. 6, the user starts a scanning driver (step S101), and then selects a scanning mode by pressing a main scan or preview button before he or she presses a start button (step S102→step S103→step S105 or step S102→step S103→step S104→step S106). After the scanning mode is selected, the user presses the start button, and the system executes a predetermined scan in accordance with the selected scanning mode (main scan or preview mode) (step S102→step S107→step S109 or step S102→step S107→step S108).
In this way, in the image scanning system, the scanning mode is designated before the start button is pressed, and the image scanning apparatus then scans an original image.
However, in the conventional image scanning system, when an original image is scanned using the image scanning apparatus, scans are normally made in a predetermined scan pattern, i.e., a scan in the preview mode and then that in the main scanning mode. However, the user must set the scanning mode for each scan, resulting in a heavy operation load on the user.
In a conventional original feed type image scanning apparatus (to be referred to as a sheet-feed scanner” hereinafter), an external switch provided to this image scanning apparatus is used for starting an image scan when the image scanning apparatus does not scan an image, and is used for stopping an image scan during the image scan. An automatic document feeder equipped to a copying machine or the like normally automatically exhausts an original from the feeder when an image scan is stopped.
However, a sheet-feed scanner of this type has a relatively low original feed speed. When an original is inserted with a skew, if that original is automatically exhausted, it may jam (so-called “paper jam”). For this reason, original feeding is stopped when the user stops an image scan, and the user must manually remove the original from the image scanning apparatus.
With this arrangement, when the user stops an image scan, the original is not fed and is left in the image scanning apparatus. The user must remove that original from the image scanning apparatus.
In such original image scanning apparatus, the external switch is used for starting or stopping an original scan. Hence, when the functions of a plurality of image scanning apparatuses are started by corresponding external switches, a plurality of external switches are required.
In a conventional image scanning apparatus which scans information on an original using an image sensor, and converts it into an electrical image signal, when the user wants to see a preview image of the original, he or she must connect the image scanning apparatus to an external apparatus, start image scanning software of that external apparatus, and see the preview image in that software.
More specifically, when the user wants to confirm the original, he or she must connect the image scanning apparatus to the external apparatus, start image scanning software in the external apparatus, and see a preview image in that software, resulting in cumbersome procedure.
In such image scanning apparatus, when the user wants to disconnect the image scanning apparatus from the external apparatus upon completion of an image scan, the user must disconnect the image scanning apparatus from the external apparatus after he or she ends the image scanning software running on the external apparatus.
More specifically, when the user wants to scan an image, he or she must connect the image scanning apparatus to the external apparatus, and start image scanning software on the external apparatus to scan an image. On the other hand, when the user wants to disconnect the image scanning apparatus from the external apparatus upon completion of the image scanning apparatus, he or she must end the image scanning software that is running on the external apparatus, and then disconnect the image scanning apparatus from the external apparatus, resulting in troublesome procedure.